HALL A :: STROKE

       

Session (13)	STROKE PREVENTION
08:30-10:30
Chairpersons:	Stephen Davis, Australia; Wei Wei Zhang, China
Capsule:	Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for cardio-embolic stroke.  Coumadin was proven to reduce the risk of stroke by about 62%.  However only 1/3 of patients with AF are actually taking coumadin and of them, only 50% are actually achieving therapeutic INR.  Recent clinical trials have shown that new anticoagulants are at least equally effective with no need for monitoring blood levels.  Will coumadin disappear to be replaced by these new, more expensive drugs?
08:30-09:30	Debate: Atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention – Is warfarin still an option? Yes: David Spence, Canada No: Lakshmi Ranganathan, India Commentator: Derk Krieger, Denmark
Capsule:	Aspirin is the most used antiplatelet for secondary stroke prevention.  However, aspirin reduces the risk of recurrent stroke by only 20%.  Severl ex vivo tests have shown that up to 40% of patients on aspirin are "aspirin-resistant" but the clinical relevance of this phenomenon is still debated and the use of ex vivo tests routinely is still widely controversial
09:30-10:30	Debate: Should aspirin-resistance be routinely applied to tailor stroke prevention? Yes: Natan Bornstein, Israel No: David Spence, Canada Commentator: Bella Gross, Israel
10:30-11:00	Coffee Break
Session (14)	IMAGING
11:00-13:00
Chairpersons:	Qiang Dong, China; Lipeng Lui, China
Capsule:	The new definition of transient ischemic attack (TIA) requires neuro-imaging with no evidence of brain infarct.  DWI-MRI is the most accurate tool to detect brain infarcts even in the very early stages.  This raises the question on whether or not DWI-MRI should be performed on every TIA patient in order to identify potential brain infarction
11:00-12:00	Debate: Acute MRI should be performed on all TIA patients Yes: Mark Parsons, Australia   No: Ashfaq Shuaib, Canada Commentator: Stephen Davis, Australia
Capsule:	In our routine practice, we often encounter ischemic stroke patients with previous history of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).  This raises the dilemma of using antithrombotic therapy in these patients for secondary stroke prevention
12:00-13:00	Debate: Antithrombotic therapy in patients with recent cerebral ischemia and history of ICH: To start or not to start? To start: Bella Gross, Israel  Not always: Laszlo Csiba, Hungary
13:00-14:00	Lunch Break
Session (15)	STROKE THERAPY: TO STENT OR NOT?
14:00-16:00
Chairpersons:	Shun Wei Li, China; Chengwei Liu, China
Capsule:	Symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis is more frequent than previously thought and carriers a high risk for stroke.  Antithrombotic therapy or alternatively stent insertion can be used in this condition
14:00-15:00	Debate: What is the best therapy for symptomatic intracranial artery stenosis? Medical therapy: Lui Ming, China Endovascular treatment (stenting): Michal Bar, Czech Republic Commentator: K.S. Lawrence Wong, Hong Kong
Capsule:	For many years the cardiologists introduced stenting as the treatment of choice for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).  The endovascular approach for AIS therapy is inconclusive and no randomized, controlled studies have proven its superiority over IV tPA.  Despite this, the endovascular therapy for AIS is gaining popularity and is widely used
15:00-16:00	Debate: Should endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke be used routinely in clinical practice? Yes: Ken Butcher, Canada No: K.S. Lawrence Wong, Hong Kong Commentator: Mark Parsons, Australia
16:00-16:30	Coffee Break
Session (16)	DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS IN STROKE
16:30-18:30
Chairpersons:	Joanna Wojczal, Poland; K.S. Lawrence Wong, Hong Kong
Capsule:	Carotid stenosis accounts for 15-20% of all ischemic strokes.  The management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACAS) is still controversial.  Plaque vulnerabililty may identify high risk ACAS subjects in whom intervention might be justified
16:30-17:30	Debate: Asymptomatic carotid stenosis: Are the current tools sufficient to identify the vulnerable plaque?  Yes: Manfred Kaps, Germany No: Laszlo Csiba, Hungary Commentator: Natan Bornstein, Israel
Capsule:	Based on the current protocols for IV tPA therapy, only CT-scan is required to identify patients who are eligible for thrombolysis.  However it is suggested that the use of MRI could extend the therapeutic window but its use worldwide is still limited
17:30-18:30	Debate: Non-contrast CT is sufficient for the primary assessment of acute stroke To start: Ashfaq Shuaib, Canada It depends on the etiology: Stephen Davis, Australia   Commentator: Mark Parsons, Australia

   

HALL B :: EPILEPSY

         

Session (17)	EPILEPSY THERAPY EVALUATION
08:30-10:30
Chairpersons:	Senyang Lang, China; Maria Mazurkiewicz-Beldzinska, Poland
Capsule:	Whether formal treatment guidelines serve a useful purpose is questionable.  The relevance of investigational studies conducted in specific patient cohorts to the general population, and the clinical relevance of trial endpoints, such as seizure control and side effects, is subject to debate.  This debate will address these issues
08:30-09:30	Debate: Evidence-based guidelines are useful in treating epilepsy Yes: Ettore Beghi, Italy No: Torbjorn Tomson, Sweden Commentator: Nandan Yardi, India
Capsule:	The use of antiepileptic drugs may be associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior.  As a consequence, the FDA has issued a warning regarding the use of these agents.  However, other analyses question the risks of these agents in provoking suicide
09:30-10:30	Debate: Antiepileptic drugs increase the risk of suicide Pro: William Theodore, USA Con: Michael Sperling, USA  Commentator: Alla Guekht, Russia
10:30-11:00	Coffee Break
Session (18)	EPILEPSY, OLD AND NEW
11:00-13:00
Chairpersons:	Niklas Mattsson, Sweden; Konrad Rejdak, Poland
Capsule:	Phenobarbital is the least expensive antiepileptic agent, yet has been associated with a range of deleterious side effects.  Whether the side effect profile has been exaggerated or not is subject for debate.  Given the pressing global need for affordable therapy, are the side affects sufficiently modest for this agent to regain a position as a reasonable first choice for treating epilepsy?
11:00-12:00	Debate: Phenobarbital should be a first-line agent for the treatment in epilepsy Yes: Umaiorubahan Meenakshisundaram, India No: William Theodore, USA Commentator: Jera Kruja, Albania
Capsule:	Epilepsy surgery is most effective for patients with established structural lesions, and the benefit of surgery has been questioned in patients without such lesions.  On the other hand, uncontrolled epilepsy has significant morbidity.  Do the merits of surgery for non-lesional epilepsy outweigh the negatives?
12:00-13:00	Debate: Epilepsy surgery should be offered early even to patients with non-lesional MRI scans Yes: Michael Sperling, Italy No: Ettore Beghi, Italy Commentator: Sang-Kun Lee, Korea
13:00-14:00	Lunch Break
Session (19)	EPILEPSY THERAPY AND RISKS
14:00-16:00
Chairpersons:	Betul Baykan, Turkey; Hadassa Goldberg-Stern, Israel
Capsule:	Some patients with epilepsy have an increased risk of dying as a consequence of their epilepsy.  Is there value to informing patients of this risk, and if so under which circumstances?  What is the ethical responsibility of the physician?
14:00-15:00	Debate: Epilepsy patients and their families should routinely be told about the risk of SUDEP Yes: Torbjorn Tomson, Sweden No: Manjari Tripathi, India Commentator: Jera Kruja, Albania
Capsule:	The 50% responder rate is used as a standard by the FDA to assess efficacy of new antiepileptic drugs.  Is this a reasonable and appropriate standard?  Does it have clinical relevance?
15:00-16:00	Debate: A 50% reduction in seizure frequency is a useful measure to assess treatment response in epilepsy Yes: Alla Guekht, Russia No: Sang-Kun Lee, Korea Commentator: William Theodore, USA
16:00-16:30	Coffee Break
Session (20)	CHINESE TRADITIONAL MEDICIN; CASE PRESENTATIONS
16:30-18:30
Capsule:	Various medicinal agents and non-medicinal treatments have been employed to treat epilepsy.  This lecture will review the role of traditional medical approaches in treating epilepsy
Chairpersons:	Vladimir Donath, Slovakia; Jian Zheng, China
16:30-16:45	Lecture: Treatment of epilepsy in Chinese traditional medicine: Shi Chuo Li, China
16:45-18:30	Discussion of challenging cases by an expert panel A series of challenging cases will be presented to course faculty for discussion of diagnosis and management Presenter: Michael Sperling, USA Panel: Ettore Beghi, Italy Alla Guekht, Russia Jera Kruja, Albania Sang-Kun Lee, Korea Shi Chuo Li, China  William Theodore, USA Torbjorn Tomson, Sweden Manjari Tripathi, India  Nandan Yardi, India

         

HALL C :: DEMENTIA & BIOMARKERS

         

Session (21)	WHAT IS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD)?
08:30-10:30
Capsule:	Alzheimer's disease (AD) has evolved from a rare pre-senile dementia to one of the most feared conditions affecting people over 65 years.  However, despite all the advances in the knowledge about this disease, its definition and histopathological hallmarks are not very different from those used by Alzheimer himself.  And worse, no treatment is available.  Perhaps, the whole concept of the disease has to be reviewed in order to achieve progress in prevention and therapeutics.  This session will examine the most accepted concept of AD and discuss new evidence that can help us to re-think how we see this disease(s)
Chairpersons:	Lea Grinberg, USA; Huali Wang, China
08:30-09:30	Debate: Alzheimer's is a psychiatric not a neurological disorder Yes: Johannes Thome, UK No: Bogdan O. Popescu, Romania Commentator: Panteleimon Giannakopoulos, Switzerland
09:30-10:30	Debate: AD research has run out of ideas True: Roger Bullock, UK False: Michael Krams, USA Commentator: Johannes Thome, UK
10:30-11:00	Coffee Break
Session (22)	NEW THERAPIES FOR AD
11:00-13:00
Chairpersons:	Jing Gao, China; Weiping Wu, China
Capsule:	Animal models are widely used for drug development in neurodegenerative diseases.  This debate will focus on the pros and limitations of using animal models, including the advancements and failures achieved to date
11:00-12:00	Debate: Are animal models useful for drug development in diseases with relatively unexplored etiopathogenesis? Yes: Manfred Windisch, Austria No: Bogdan O. Popescu, Romania Commentator: Michael Krams, USA
Capsule:	The amyloid hypothesis has dominated the AD field for over 20 years.  However, all the research addressing this hypothesis resulted in meager therapeutic advance to date.  Are we ready to refute the amyloid hypothesis and focus on alternatives?  This debate will address the current knowledge about the role of amyloid in AD pathogenesis, the novel amyloid-targeted drug trials and past failures
12:00-13:00	Debate: Is amyloid targeting really the answer in AD? Yes: Lea Grinberg, USA No: Panteleimon Giannakopoulos, Switzerland Commentator: Manfred Windisch, Austria
13:00-14:00	Lunch Break
Session (23)	EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF DEMENTIA
14:00-16:00
Capsule:	Evaluation of drug therapy relies heavily on neuropsychological measurement conducted across multiple sites. The increasing complexity of AD trials means new centers are being created all the time. This leads to two key methodological issues, which are very important when looking for changes in the rate of decline in AD. Firstly, the control of variance across multiple sites, especially when some of the measures are quite subjective; secondly, are the tests measuring what we think and are they good enough to diagnose what we want and predict change over time. This session explores these issues and will hopefully generate new suggestions around trial design. Also, recent studies have suggested that cholinesterase inhibitors should be given at even higher dosage, but this is still not widely accepted
Chairpersons:	Yueqin Huang, China; Yan Sheng Li, China
14:00-14:40	Debate: Centralized rating is the only way to make the ADAS-cog reliable as a primary outcome Yes: Roger Bullock, UK  No: Terese Treves, Israel
14:40-15:20	Debate: Are neuropsychological tests really helpful in diagnosing dementia? Yes: Keith Wesnes, UK No:  John Harrison, UK
15:20-16:00	Debate: Conventional dosage of acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitors to AD is adequate Yes: Wen-Shi Wei, China No: Yuan-Han Yang, Taiwan
16:00-16:30	Coffee Break
Session (24)	BIOMARKERS IN NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES: ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK YET?
16:30-18:30
Capsule:	The search for CNS biomarkers to combat today's most prevalent neurological diseases are reaching a fevered pitch.  With many new innovative strategies to utilize them, such as their uses in diagnostic assay platforms, as intermediate surrogate endpoints and as therapeutics themselves, biomarker discovery and development provide multiple opportunities for early diagnosis of neurological disorders.  This session presents current known biomarkers.  We will shall and gain insight into clinically applied biomarkers which can be used as screening tools and for accelerating drug discovery.  We also present how these biomarkers can be incorporated into clinical drug trials, translational medicine and be used to elucidate mechanisms of disease and drug action
Chairpersons:	Fredrik Ponten, Sweden; Rivka Ravid, The Netherlands
16:30-16:40	The use of biomarkers in neurological drug development: Tony Ho, USA
16:40-16:50	CSF biomarkers may be used to diagnose and monitor neurodegenerative diseases: Niklas Mattsson, Sweden
16:50-17:00	Imaging biomarkers in neurology: David Leppert, Switzerland
17:00-17:10	Modulation of FGF-2 expression in astrocytes via dopamine receptor signaling: Potential implications for diagnostics and treatment for PD:  Jiawei Zhou, China
17:10-17:20	Do we need biomarkers in epilepsy? Konrad Rejdak, Poland
17:20-17:30	From specimen to biomarker?  Harmonization of biobank SOP's in the discovery of novel candidate biomarkers for AD Rivka Ravid, The Netherlands
17:30-17:40	The role of cognitive tests in trials of drugs to treat age-related cognitive declines: Biomarkers or endpoints? Keith Wesnes, UK
17:40-17:50	Implication of aging related factor for pathogenic mechanism in AD Dehua Chui, China
17:50-18:00	Vinpocetine: A prospective TSPO biomarker PET ligand in neurodegenerative diseases Adam Vas, Hungary
18:00-18:30	Discussion